‘Politicians, officers always under scanner’

SHILLONG, MAR 14: Meghalaya  chief minister Mukul Sangma has stated that the politicians and bureaucrats are invariably under the most stringent scanner in the system of governance and urged upon the State Civil Service officers to upscale their level of commitment so that they are able to change the perception of the people.

Sangma said this while addressing the officers as the chief guest at the annual conference of the Meghalaya Civil Service Officers’ Association (MCSOA), 2015 at Hotel Pinewood on Saturday, which was also attended by Chief Secretary PBO Warjri, Additional Chief Secretary KS Kropha and Principal Secretaries KN Kumar and RV Suchiang, among others.

Sangma reminded the MSC officers that they are virtually like foot soldiers of the government as they are closely connected to the ground realities in the places of posting and said that they take it as an opportunity to use the challenges they are confronted with and their experiences to find the best mechanism to improve the delivery system. Stating that the whole efficiency of implementation of government’s policies and programmes, designed to benefit the people, ultimately depend on them, Sangma said that it was therefore found necessary to give them necessary training to upscale their skills and expertise.

Sangma also stressed the need for multi-tasking in their duties and called for innovation and creativity in their approach to delivery of governance. “We cannot be good in only one subject. We have to be as good as a specialist in all the subjects and this is a situation for all of us as ministers in the cabinet and as civil service officers” he said, adding that this conference should be a platform to invoke a process of thinking among the officers to renew their commitment that can bring the best out of them.

It may be mentioned that there are altogether 178 MCS officers in the state.

Earlier, chief secretary PBO Warjri said that in governance it is important to make decisions which are credible and correct and also sustainable in accordance to the rules and laws. He also said that as the Meghalaya Civil Service organization is the backbone of the government it is important for the civil service officers to imbibe in themselves the values of integrity and to separate their responsibilities from personal life while discharging their duties without being influenced by nepotism and favoritism.

Warjri also expressed his happiness that Meghalaya has the largest number of women in civil services, adding that this in itself is an opportunity to prove that women are able to carry out their duties with dignity and purpose.

Additional chief secretary KS Kropha, MCSOA president Iona.R. Sangma and general secretary Matsiewdor War-Nongbri also addressed the inaugural session of the conference.- By Our Reporter